Violet's Story
by SWSWWAD
Summary: A telling of Violet's story from the first days of the Zombie Apocalypse. Tell Violet's story from before, during and after the game. (May become a slight Alternate Universe)
1. Chapter 1

**AN**

Feel free to suggest ideas or point out problems. I hope you enjoy the story.

* * *

**Thirty Day's before the Outbreak**

Why am I being sent here? No matter how many times I ask that question or who I ask I always get told the same thing. **_"It's for your own good Vi,"_** or **_"This school helps kids like you."_** I hate those answers and wish someone would tell me the truth. They are scared of me, I know they are. Ever since my mum found me watching cartoons next to my grandmother's lifeless body, everyone has been afraid of me. I don't know why my grandmother was the person who killed herself not me. I just don't why they are afraid of me, why they abandoned me at this school in the middle of nowhere.

Ericson's Boarding School for Troubled Youth, that's where my parents sent me. A school in the middle of nowhere surrounded by a forest and place everyone will help me get better. I don't think this place will help, I don't think there is anything wrong with me, but my parents say I must go here so here I am. I'm surprised that my dad is sober enough and my mum has the time to spare to be concerned about me, but they worry too much. There is nothing wrong with me.

God, I can't believe they sent me here. As the bus stops outside the front gate, I can already tell I am going to hate it here. The school seems old with stone walls and buildings that look like they were built hundreds of years ago. Waiting to greet me standing in front of the large metal gate is the school's headmaster with his large faithful dog sitting beside him. The man looks just like his picture in the brochure with his short Dark Brown, stupid suit and even his arms are folded like they were in his picture. He doesn't look like he would be fun to be around.

"Miss Nicholson I am Richard Patterson, the headmaster and let me be the first to welcome you to Ericson's Boarding School," The head says as I get off the bus. "Would you please follow me I will show you to your room so you can drop your things off and then we can go to my office where I will explain how this school works."

"Whatever," I shrug as I follow him and his big dog which looks kind of scary now that I am closer to it.

"Now Miss Nicholson that attitude of yours needs to change," Mr. Patterson warns. "I will let it slide considering you just arrived, but here at this school we wish for our students to be more respectful of members of staff."

"…" I sigh and don't respond, there's nothing I want to say to him anyway.

"I think you will like it here miss Nicholson," The head states but I know he's wrong, and I will hate it here. "Although you have some reason why you are being sent here you like every student at Ericson's will be given a second chance and the necessary help to make your future bright… Ah, here we are." We stop outside one of the buildings double red doors where who I am guessing is the janitor is painting over some graffiti. "This is the student dorms."

"Looks nice," I comment just before a loud scream could be heard.

"I'm sure you will be comfortable here," The head says as we enter the building. "Normally we have two students to a room, but unfortunately since we have an odd number of girls, you will have a room to yourself."

"That's ok," It's not like I know anyone here or that I am not used to being by myself.

The inside of the building is just as bad as the outside, and despite it being summer it's so cold in here it's enough to make me shiver. I follow the principle through the corridor passing a kid who looks like he is barely old enough to walk and I start to wonder what he did to be sent here. The boy looks so young that at first I doubt he could have done anything too bad, but then I notice the scar on the side of his head that may be the reason for him being here. The boy runs through and hides when he sees me and the head approach him quickly darting inside of what I assume is his room.

"As you can see we like to help people of all age with whatever trouble they are going through," Mr. Patterson continues before we stop in front of one of many wooden doors. "This is your room." He opens the door, and I step inside seeing two beds, bedside table, bookshelf, and a window. "Just leave your bags here for now and come with me."

I do as I am told and dump my bag on my new bed before once again I start to Mr. Patterson through the school. For a head, he seems ok for now, I'm still waiting for him to turn into a dick like the head of my last school any time now. Anyway, he leads me through the school again telling me about the school's history, but I don't pay much attention instead I look towards a pair of red-haired girls that must be sisters and possible twins by how similar they look. They both catch me looking their way, and one of them smiles while the glares at me making me quickly look away. I don't think I will be making friends with them.

Soon we are outside, and I nearly jump out of my skin as a flying ball nearly smacks me in the head only missing me by a few millimeters. The schools head doesn't notice, and the blonde haired boy who rushes past me to retrieve the ball doesn't say a word to me or even looks my way. Some first day I'm having. I have been here for not even half an hour, and already I've nearly died. What did my parents think when they thought sending me to such a dangerous place was a good idea?

Mr. Patterson leads me into the centermost building of the school campus where immediately I hear the sound of someone playing the piano, and I think I hear singing too, but it is too faint, so I can't be sure. I follow the schools head up a creaky staircase and into an office that looks just as old-fashioned as the rest of the school. Mr. Patterson takes his seat behind a large desk while his faithful hound lays down in his bed in the corner of the room. I don't like it here, this room feels oppressive, and the way the headmaster stares at me as I take my seat opposite him doesn't help make that feeling go away.

"Miss Nicholson, I'm sure you have been told this before that this school doesn't just teach the standard lessons, but we also help our students with whatever problems they are currently experiencing," Mr. Patterson tells me the same thing my parents told me when they said they were shipping me off to this place. "You will be put into the standard education class since your record shows you have no problems academically, but because of the unfortunate incident at your grandmother's house you will be required to see the school nurse at least once a week."

I clench my fists and bit my tongue to stop myself from doing or saying anything I shouldn't. My grandmother raised me, my father was too drunk and my three jobs so I grow up at my grandparent's house. I don't like what he said, I don't like how he can say her death was just some unfortunate incident like it could have happened to anyone. I watched my grandmother die, I watched as she shot herself. What happened wasn't just an unfortunate incident.

"I don't think I need to see the nurse," I tell him once I am sure I wouldn't sound too angry about his previous words.

"You need to see her," He insists. "What happened to you has affected you and talking to our nurse will help you."

Why does everyone think I need help? Just because I didn't cry when my grandmother shot herself in front of me, just because I didn't freak out everyone thinks I am a broken little girl who needs to be helped.

"Your first meeting with our nurse will be tomorrow after classes finished," Mr. Patterson says ignoring how I feel. "She will come and collect you since your new but every other appointment you have with her you will have to go to her." He pauses a minute to retrieve a small folder from his desk before sliding it over to me. "Here is your class schedule and the times and locations that our school's clubs meet. It is not required that you join a club, but we encourage all our students to take part in club activities."

I don't think I would join a club, I was never interested in any club activities at my old school. From what I have seen of my fellow students none of them like the kind of people I want to be friends with, apart from that one girl who smiled at me but then her sister that glared at me will be there, so I don't think that will work out. I was planning on telling him that, I was just about to tell Mr. Patterson that I have no interest in making friends or joining a club when a knock on the door stops me. It was probably good that it did because as I believe if I said that then I would have been forced to join a club by someone.

"Come in!" A boy enters at the heads words who has black hair and looks friendly than most students I have seen since I got here. "Miss Nicholson, Aasim here will take you on a tour of the school and answer any questions you have."

"Hi," The boy smiles extending a hand towards me. "I'm Aasim."

"Violet," I reply as I stand and hesitantly take his hand.

"Please show miss Nicholson around," The head says. "If you don't mind I have work to do so would you two please leave."

"Yes sir," Aasim says before leaving, and wordlessly I follow behind him seeing the head throwing me off to someone else just like my parents. "I take it all you have seen are the dorms and that office."

"Yeah," I say.

"Ok," Aasim responds. "Then I will show you the classroom, café, and greenhouse."

"That's all I need to see?" I ask. I know this school is small, but still, I expected to be shown a few more rooms.

"One of the best things about this school is that it is small," Aasim tells me. "Few rooms and few names you need to remember, and some names you should remember"

"What do you mean?" I ask raising an eyebrow.

"It will be easier to show you," Aasim answers. "Everyone has their reasons for being here."

Aasim was right about this school being small because in less than an hour later he has sowed me around the school. During the tour, he kept asking me if I had any questions which started to annoy me, but I never had anything that needed to be answered. The whole time Aasim was showing me around I kept looking for something modern as everywhere I looked I saw nothing but chalkboards and other things that schools all over the country haven't used in decades.

The tour ends with Aasim taking me back to my dorm room so I can unpack and settle into my new room before dinner. We say our goodbyes then I am alone again. That's a never problem everyone seems to think I have. I don't mind being alone and can be just as happy by myself as when I am with someone else, but everyone thinks that means something is wrong with me just because I wasn't running around and making friends with everyone that I see.

Anyway once Aasim left me, and I started unpacking it doesn't take me long before I have put everything away. I didn't come here with much just clothes and a lovey-dovey book my mother insisted I take with me since Ericson's is so isolated there are no cellphone or wifi signals here. I'm sure others would suffer more without their phones and social media account, but I never go into that stuff like everyone else at my old school and was happy to just watch cartoons.

I hear another knocking of a door only this time no one waits for me to call them into the room they just walk right into my room without permission. I see it's the two red-haired girls and that little kid I saw have entered the room. Once again one of the red hairs is smiling while the other glares at me. The little boy hides behind the girl's legs peeking out nervously at me as he clenches a piece of paper in his hands.

"Hi, I'm Sophie," The smiling girls says.

"Minerva," Grunts the glaring girl.

"I'm… I'm Tennessee," The boy stutters stepping out from behind the girl's legs. "I… I made you this."

"Thanks," I say accepting the piece of paper which I soon see is a welcome to Ericson's card.

"We are in the room next to you," Sophie says. "If you need anything feel free to ask."

**One Day before the Outbreak**

School sucks, but at least my fellow students are ok. Sophie is friendly and helped me so many times I have somehow become reliant on her to get through classes. Tennessee or Ten as I have started calling him is a sweet, quiet boy who shares a love for art with Sophie and my bedroom walls have become littered with pictures they have given me since I arrived. Minerva was cold to me when I first arrived, but ever since then, she has become my best friend here and someone who I really leave the side of. I've also made friends with a girl named Brody, she has auburn hair that hilariously frizzed up a few days ago much to everyone's amusement. Brody is a kind girl, but she usually has overthinks things and has been taken out of class several times because she started to have a panic attack.

As for the teachers while I don't like any of them apart from the school nurse Ms. Martin. Unlike the other teachers Ms. Martin is kind, and I felt safe talking to her after a while although I still believe I don't need her help, she is kind of cool for an adult and knows when I don't want to talk anymore and respects that. The rest of the teachers like I said I don't like any of them. They are strict, harsh and so boring that I feel myself falling asleep whenever they talk. Even the head Mr. Patterson showed he wasn't the friendly person I met when I arrived when he yelled at Minerva and me for laying in a grassy field with a no walking on the grass sign. I can understand why he wanted us off of the grass, but he didn't have to shout or make us pull weeds for an hour just for ignoring that one sign.

Anyway, my school life has started to become a borrowing routine of classes followed by a fun free period with the kids I have come to call friends. My free period usually involves playing card games, drawing or if I am lucky listening to Minerva sing. Minerva has such a pretty voice and when this annoying boy called Louis or Lou for short plays the piano when she is singing the whole school and even the entire forest around us goes silent to admire the beautiful songs they make together. I really wish I can hear Minerva sing again tonight, but instead, we are forced to listen to the radio by the teachers as reports of mass rioting come in from all over the country.

"Hey Vi," I turn to the sound of a whisper finding Minerva has sat down at some point right next to me without me even noticing. I hate it when she sneaks up on me like that. "Sophie and Ten want to know if you want to sleep over in our room again tonight, Brody will be there too so are you in?"

"Sure," I nod, and we both share a smile.

Sneaking into each other's rooms has become a fun past time for us and although the teachers say we shouldn't leave our rooms at night none of them check the dorm so we can do as we please and get away with sleepovers. I still remember the first time we had a sleepover, Brody was so nervous she had to leave halfway through the night, and unfortunately for Minerva and myself, Sophie and Ten thought it was a good idea to draw on our faces while we slept. They were wrong, and Minerva and I had our revenge. At least now nothing like that will happen, and Brody is able to stay the night.

"Sounds fun," I whisper.

"It will be," Minerva promises. "Brody's parents sent her a box of chocolates again, and she said she will bring them over tonight."

All of a sudden a loud roar can be heard, and all eyes are drawn to the window. The sun may be setting, but there is still enough light to see the source of the sound. In the distance, several helicopters fly through the air at a faster pace than I normally see them move. There are a lot of helicopters, some of them are even the type that has two of those twirly blade things, and all of them are heading in the same direction towards where I know a city is and where I see smoke rise in the distance. I'm not an expert, but even I know it will take a giant fire for us to see here all the way in the wilderness. Just what is happening?


	2. Chapter 2

**Outbreak Day 1**

I wake up the before dawn to the sight of flashing lights and the sound of sirens. Looking around the room, I see I am not the only one to be woken up by the sounds as both Brody and Minerva are staring at the lights flashing behind the curtains while Sophie comforts Ten who hugs Sophie tightly burying his face in her shirt.

"So…" Minerva says after a few seconds. "Do you think they are dropping off or picking up? My money's on Ruby being arrested for assault."

"It could be Marlon," I suggest. "He did set off those fireworks in the Headmaster's office a few days ago."

"Maybe," Minerva admits as the sound of an engine starts and fades away along with the flashing lights and sirens. "Well, I guess we will find out who's missing in the morning."

"They won't take me, again will they?" Ten nervously asks with a voice laced with terror.

"Don't worry. Ten they are gone now," Sophie assures him while stroking his head. "They won't tear us apart again."

After that everyone slowly settles back down to go to sleep, but as I drift off I can tell by the way Sophie has to hold Ten that it's doubtful either of them will be getting any sleep for the rest of the night. Ten's not a bad kid, but I know he is the reason why Sophie and Minerva are here because they wanted to keep an eye on their little brother.

**A few hours Later**

The next time I wake up, it is clear something is wrong as it's nearly ten and no one came to wake us up when we were late for class. Looking around the room, I can see Brody curled up asleep on the floor next to the bed where Ten sleeps in Sophie's arms. Minerva is asleep too, but I can see her eyes start to flutter open.

"Morning," Minerva groans as she burry's her head in her pillow.

"It's not morning anymore," I tell her and in an instant, her head snaps up, and Minerva's eyes lock onto the clock.

"Ha," Minerva chuckles. "Guess they forgot about us and we get a free day off."

**Dinner time**

Something really is wrong, really wrong. The teachers are scared and worried about something you can see it written all over their faces whenever they get off their phones. They won't say anything, all they say is that everything is fine thinking that we are too stupid to realize they are lying. Why are adults so frustrating? Whenever we lie they force us to tell the truth threatening to punish us if we don't but now that the adults are the ones lying we can't force or punish them. It's no wonder all us kids at Ericson's have a hard time following the rules when the teachers ignore them.

The teacher's odd behavior isn't the only indication that something is wrong as the food they have given us today is only half the amount we normally receive. When Louis asked if he could have some more all of us turned to stare at him with hungry eyes and growling stomachs, but he was turned away with the teacher who was on cooking duty today saying they have to make the food last for a while. It wouldn't surprise me if that was a lie and the adults just want to starve us kids, but with everything else that I have noticed, I doubt that the teachers really intend to starve us.

I'm not the only one who has noticed something is wrong as I hear several groups of kids whisper amongst themselves trying to figure out what is wrong. I wish I knew what was happening. I wish I could find out, but with my stomach complaining, I can't be bothered to do and snooping. I must really look down because Louis comes over with best friend Marlon and a deck of cards to cheer me up.

"If your down Vi I have just the thing to cheer you up," Louis says as he sits down and Brody stands up.

"I'm sorry I can't play again," Brody states as she walks off to another table and Sophie glares at Louis.

"What?" Louis asks acting innocent.

"You know it's your fault that she doesn't like to play games anymore right?" Sophie says in a dark tone that even sends a shiver down my spine. "You should never have dared her to eat that bug."

"I'm sorry ok," Louis replies feeling just as scared of Sophie's dark side as we all are. "I didn't realize she was so scared of them that she would faint."

"So what's the game today?" It still amazes me that Sophie's voice can go from terrifying to sweet in a blink of an eye.

"Well since we all have some candy stashed I say we play blackjack using our sweets for bets," Louis tells us. "Winner takes all. Losers starve. Are you girls in."

"Sure," Sophie says.

"Me too," Minerva soon says. "I can't let you rob my sister blind after all."

"I can be him," Sophie assures her, but the slight bit of doubt in her voice doesn't go unnoticed.

"Sure you can," Minerva says slapping her sister lightly on the back.

"So Vi how about you?" Louis asks turning to me. Everyone looks to me. Great, I love being the center of attention. "Are you in or are you out?"

"I'm in," I answer making Louis smile and Marlon moan.

"Great, we haven't started yet, and I am already out a chocolate bar," Marlon mutters handing the item he lost over to his friend.

"That's how life is," Louis tells him. "You win some, and you lose some like this bet you made of these lovely ladies not wishing to play with us. Anyway, let's get started and see if you can win this back."

**Outbreak Day 2**

Life in school is becoming worse and worse as today while we were eating breakfast the Headmaster announced that we are no longer allowed in the woods and must stay within the school grounds until further notice. That's my favorite school activity gone, the nature walks the school would take us on were always pleasant always may me feel calm for some reason. But that isn't the only reason I'm not happy because as the Headmaster was telling us this bad news, I was busy handing over my sweet stash to Louis who cleaned us all out last night. He probably cheated, but I can't prove it.

Any way to kill time and to take my mind off of my aching tummy I thought it was a good idea to play soccer with another student here called Jasper. Jasper is a tall kid who hardly says a word which suits me just fine. I don't know much about Jasper other than he was sent her for starting fires, but despite that, he seems like an ok guy. It's unfortunate that both Jasper and mine plan of distracting ourselves backfires making us both hungrier and pisses us off resulting in me kicking the ball so hard it goes over the school's walls.

Ok, so much for playing soccer. I guess we will have to find some other distraction to get us through till dinner. Or so I thought as I watch Jasper start to climb over the wall. **_"What the hell."_** I think to myself before joining Jasper in scaling the wall. Lucky there are plenty of boxes to aid our climb but getting back inside will be a real problem. I guess we will just cross that bridge when we come to it and get an earful from the teachers.

"You didn't have to come," Jasper tells me as I jump down next to him.

"I kicked it, so its only right that I come and retrieve the ball," I reply being partly honest; leaving out the part were I have nothing better to do.

I can't describe how refreshing it feels to leave the walls of Ericson's behind even if it is just for a small amount of time. The feels different out here, and so do I, I'm not sure why maybe it's the fact that when I am away from from the teachers I get to breath easier. Not all of the teachers are so bad, but they all give off this strict air that makes them hard to like. Anyway, I follow behind Jasper deeper into the trees and down a small slope because just our luck the ball has rolled all the way down to the bottom of the hill.

The climb down doesn't go as smoothly as I thought it would be as we slip and slide quickly learning we won't be climbing back up that way. At least we make it all the way down without falling over and can now see the missing ball caught in some trees roots. Unfortunately, we seem to have disturbed a homeless man. Is this why the teachers don't want us out here, because they are afraid of one homeless man? I don't think he's that dangerous, he's just staring at some baby bird who are squawking like crazy from their nests above him.

This man may be dangerous, or he may not be, but ever way both Jasper and myself share a look where we silently agree to be quiet and not draw the mans attention as we get the ball. To be honest, I feel bad for the man. I come from a poor family where somedays we can't eat, but I always had a roof over my head and clothes that weren't torn or dirty. The poor man must have been living rough for a long time and is even missing one of his shoes.

We almost got away unnoticed, I thought this man would never even know we are here until I hear a snap and look over to Jasper who has turned pales as he looks down towards the branch under his foot. The man turns around, and when I look at him, I have to cover my mouth to stop myself from screaming. It isn't the bloody hole where the mans left cheek should be that nearly makes me scream, it isn't the lifeless look of his eyes or the fact I can see his intestines that has me so scared, but it's the guys growl that terrifies me. There is nothing human in the man's voice as he growls at us before rushing towards me where I remain frozen unable to react.

If it wasn't for Jasper that crazy, injured homeless man would have killed me. Just as that man was about to reach me and do god knows what to me Jasper tackles him to the ground where they struggle with the much stronger adult quickly gaining the upper hand and biting Jasper hard on his shoulder. I don't think I just act hearing Jasper cry out in pain. I pick up a thick log and swing it hitting the homeless man on the back of his head.

"We need to get back to the school," I tell him as I help him to his feet. "Can you make it?"

"I…" Jasper stops talking as we see the homeless man raise to his feet. "I don't have a choice."

We run and make it most of the way back with the homeless man fading into the distance, but before I lost sight of him, I saw him following us. We are so close to the school's gate but just as we are about to come into view of our school Jasper collapses. I quickly run back to him and help him stand only for him to fall again once his on his feet. I can't leave him after he saved me, so I pick him up again and let him lean on my shoulder where I feel how warm his skin has become.

"You should have told me you were sick," I tell him as we move towards our school once again.

"I'm not," Jasper replies but he starts to cough soon after making me doubt that.

"Don't worry the schools just up ahead," I say as we see the school through the trees. "You will be in a warm bed with medician before you know it."

"But I'm not…" He can't finish as she falls from my hold and starts to cough out blood.

I step back shocked by what I am seeing and I am thankful the teacher the headmaster told to watch the gate sees us and comes rushing to our aid. I don't care about how much trouble we are in right now all I care about is helping Jasper. As the teacher reach us, I have managed to regain my composure, and I kneel down and take Jasper's hand in my own.

"What happened?" The teacher asks looking us both over.

"We were out looking for our ball when this crazy homeless guy attacked us," I answer before that animalistic growl reaches my ears and both myself and the teacher turn to see that homeless man aking his way towards us.

"I got Jasper," The teacher says as he picks up the boy. "Run for the gate, we will be right behind you."

I don't need to be told twice, and I run towards the gate but then a scream stops me, and I turn back to see Jasper tearing out the teacher's throat with his teeth. Now I scream and nearly collapse as I see that same lifeless look in Jasper's eyes now and two more injured homeless people emerge from the trees. Blood pours from the hole in the teacher's neck, and I find myself unable to move as Jasper joins the homeless people stumbling towards me with his shirt and chin covered in blood.

**Bang!**

I jump at the sound and watch in horror as Jasper's head explodes.

**Bang!**

As I am watching Jasper fall to the ground, I see the teachers head receive the same treatment.

**Bang! Bang! Bang!**

One by one the homeless people fall down with holes in their head. I hear footsteps behind me and slowly turn to see the schools head Mr. Patterson walking towards me with a smoking gun in his hand and an angry look in his eyes. Behind him, I can see Louis staring horrified at the scene from the school's gate with Ms. Martin being the only thing stopping him from leaving.

"I want to see you in my office, Miss Nicholson," He sounds as mad as he looks.


End file.
